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Early life[edit]

Mandylor was born in Melbourne, the son of Louise (née Mandylaris) and Yannis Theodosopoulos, who is a taxi driver. He is of Greek ancestry.[1] Mandylor took a version of his mother's maiden name, citing his real name in Greek being too long.[2] He grew up in St Kilda and South Melbourne.[3] He moved to the United States in 1987 where he started taking acting lessons. He was initially unable to find any work acting and had to work any job available.[2]

Career[edit]

Mandylor's first major role was in the 1989 film Triumph of the Spirit playing a European Jew, which was filmed at the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp. He returned to Los Angeles meeting director Oliver Stone and auditioned and got the role of an Italian count in The Doors (1991).[2] Mandylor landed a leading role in Mobsters playing Mafia boss Frank Costello. He went mentally prepared for the role, telling the Los Angeles Times, "It was interesting that I got that part, because I felt tuned in to gangsters, it was a genre I'd read a lot. When I was 13, I got a job as a dishwasher in a Melbourne nightclub and saw everything there, real gangsters, and had met characters who were dangerous people from an underground world."[2] In 1992 he had a lead role on the CBS television drama, Picket Fences, playing officer Kenny Lacos until the show ended in 1996. Mandylor also had a lead role in the Saw films as Detective Mark Hoffman.

Personal life[edit]

Mandylor played professional soccer in Europe until suffering shin splints. In 1991, he was chosen by People as one of the "50 Most Beautiful People in the world".[4] Mandylor married Talisa Soto in May 1997; they divorced in 2000. His brother, Louis Mandylor, is also an actor.[1]